Could I plant something along with my tomato plant?

[tulsanurse1]

I have a container 20.5 wide and 12" deep. It is a 22 gallon container. I will planting on beef steak plant in the container. Could I plant strawberries or any other vegetable or fruit in the pot with the tomato? Bad idea or possible?

[tulsanurse1]

I just read where I could plant a cucumber or pepper plant. Think I will try it. I have two planters the same size (22 gallon) that will each have 1 tomato plant, so each container will get one tomato/cumber or tomato/pepper.

[Suze]

Can't really speak to the strawberries in detail, but I think they are probably going to have different needs, so you might want to put them in their own containers.

I think if you plant a cucumber in the same pot with a tomato, the tomato plant is going to get all tangled up in the cucumber vine. What cuke variety were you thinking of doing - maybe a bush type that won't get that large?

Other reasons why I personally wouldn't do it is cukes and tomatoes have different needs, especially in a hot climate. I think you're going to find that cukes will do better with more water and shade than tomatoes are going to want or need.

When it starts to get hot, I usually move my cuke containers under the canopy of a well limbed up tree so they will continue to produce a little longer.

Also, cukes are much more susceptible to powdery mildew than tomatoes are, so they aren't something I'd want to have in the same pot with a tomato plant.

I'd go with a pepper plant or maybe a second (more compact) tomato plant in the same container if you want to put something else in.

Or, you could probably get away with a basil plant or two if you're willing to lightly, selectively prune the tomato foliage at the base a bit so that the basil gets enough light.

Just some thoughts / suggestions.

[Worth1]

I don't grow in containers but I am going to try bush type green beans this year as a ground cover.
bush yellow wax
bush Blue lake,
bush Italian
Water is no problem, they are legumes and we all now what they do.

Worth

[Worth1]

NIX the cucumber it will take over the container or compete for water and nutrients.
It will also shade out the tomato plant and cut back on circulation.
Maybe cilantro or parsley will work or maybe scallions.

[rxkeith]

i would do something that you can pick and harvest early before the tomato gets bigger and starts to shade things out. try different kinds of leaf lettuce, radishes or basil. thats what i do in the garden. should work ok in a container too.


keith

[Earl]

Here's some info I found with Google.

Plants Recommended for Companion Planting with Tomatoes: amaranth, asparagus, basil, bean, calendula (pot marigold), carrots, celery, chive, cleome, cosmos, cucumber, garlic, lemon balm, lettuce, marigold, mint, nasturtium, onion, parsley, peas, sage, stinging nettle and sow thistle.
Carrots:

Carrots work well with tomatoes because they share space well. The carrots can be planted when the tomatoes are still quite small, and can be happily growing and ready to harvest by the time the tomato plants start to take over the space.
Chives, Onions, and Garlic:

Members of the onion family are beneficial to plant with many types of crops due to the pungent odor they emit. This helps deter many insect pests.
Borage:

Borage helps deter tomato hornworm.
Asparagus:

Asparagus and tomatoes are good neighbors. Asparagus puts on growth very early in the season, and the tomato plants fill in after asparagus has been harvested. Also, tomatoes help repel asparagus beetle.
Marigold:

Marigolds help deter harmful nematodes from attacking tomatoes. The pungent odor can also help confuse other insect pests. To deter nematodes, the best practice is to grow the marigolds, then chop and till them into the soil at the end of the season.
Nasturtium:

Nasturtiums help deter whitefly and aphids.
Basil:

Growing tomatoes and basil together increases the vigor and flavor of both crops.
Spinach, Lettuce, Arugula:

These are also "good neighbor" crops for tomatoes. They stay fairly small, and will grow better in the heat of summer when shaded by the growing tomato plants.
What Not to Plant with Tomatoes:

The following crops should not be planted with tomatoes:

• Brassicas: Tomatoes and all members of the brassicas family repel each other and will exhibit poor growth when planted together.
• Corn: Tomato fruit worm and corn ear worm are nearly identical, and planting these two crops together increases the possibility that you will attract one (or both) of these pests.
• Fennel: Fennel inhibits the growth of tomatoes.
• Kohlrabi: Kohlrabi inhibits the growth of tomatoes.
• Potatoes: Planting tomatoes and potatoes together makes potatoes more susceptible to potato blight.